United Way of McLeod County Board President Kathy Silvernale announced today that the organization has delivered $72,000 in checks during January, to 42 partner agencies/programs. Those checks represent the first half allocations for 2009 United Way funding. A second allocation check from the UWMC will be disbursed in June of this year. Agencies receiving United Way funding in 2009, went through a stringent application and interview process during the spring of 2008.

“By the generosity of individual donors, small businesses and corporations throughout McLeod County, our United Way is pleased to announce that we are able to distribute the allocation checks,” said Silvernale. “These allocations are a testament to all those who donated to the 2008-09 campaign thus far, because their dollars are going to fund outstanding programs and help many deserving individuals and families in these trying times.”

“We are pleased to say that by publicly extending our 2008-09 campaign dead line until March 31, it allowed us to contact a number of businesses and residents county-wide that we had not reached earlier,” said UWMC Executive Director Paul Thompson. “We felt an obligation to our partners and all of the people who benefit from their programs and services to campaign a little bit longer this time around. We have seen a great response from those that are able to give which has pushed our campaign to 80% ($230,000) of the county-wide need.”